A Kuwaiti citizen, held in Tanzania since June, has been released and is back home, Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Plenipotentiary Sami Abdulaziz Al-Hamad said on Saturday. The citizen was held there as of June 23 for violating the Tanzanian laws on exporting some animal species. The penalty in this case is a tremendous fine, or 20 years behind bars, Al-Hamad told KUNA.

But he was granted a release thanks to ceaseless efforts by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the East African country, based on orders from First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The efforts were fruitful, Al-Hamad said, appreciating cooperation by the Tanzanian side. The Foreign Ministry urges Kuwaiti citizens to abide by laws when leaving other countries, and not to try to take out animals with them, he said.

They have to comply with hunting laws in a host country, and to be cautious, making sure their permits are valid.